Teen Titan surprise (Spoilers)

I don't read Teen Titans until well after the books come out. We mainly get it for the thirteen-year-old, and she prefers trades, so we wait. So, since I'm far less patient than she is (and because of content crossover between titles), I generally read internet discussions of the book as they come out.

Therefore I've read quite a bit about Teen Titans this week:

Death comes suddenly...unexpectedly...
Walkin' the Dog.
Okay, that's Hilarious.
Wonderdog Did What?!?
In This Issue...Wendy and Marvin DIE!

I never watched Superfriends as a kid; we lived out in the boonies with a good antenna, but we still got nothing but CBS and Canada on our TV, and since Superfriends was on ABC, it wasn't an option. (Also, apart from the first year I would have been a little old for it. Well, my little brother would have watched it, so I probably would have as well, so never mind that. In any case neither of us did.) This might mean that I lack the nostalgic fondness for Wendy and Marvin that so many folks seem to have, and it might mean that I lack the Wendy-Marvin loathing that so many other folks seem to have. In fact it means both.

The thirteen-year-old knew who modern Wendy and Marvin were in the comic book because, well, she reads the comic book; however, the characters did not particularly interest her. She did not know about classic Wendy and Marvin, and did not know that modern comic-book Wendy and Marvin were based on anything in particular. She is not particularly bothered by the idea of the story.

The nine-year-old doesn't care for the book (I think because it's so different from the animated series, which she liked) so doesn't read it.

So kids on the whole aren't likely to have any particular connections to Wendy and Marvin, or any expectations that a Wendy/Marvin story is likely to be of the cute and funny sort rather than the dark and depressing sort. However, I do kind of see the point about the parents, with regard to the cover of the comic (which does point toward the story being in the cute and funny category). Many parents are of the age where, if they aren't comic readers, they may well have formed their impressions of comic books from what they saw on Superfriends. Wendy and Marvin and Wonder Dog on the cover is just going to confirm that.

Now, they ought to at least flip through the book before buying it for their six-year-old. I would, if I were buying a comic for the nine-year-old. But I will admit that if I were buying a Marvel Adventures or Johnny DC title, I might not look too carefully, because I know those books are kid-oriented. I also know, however, that comics on the whole can't be counted on to be kid-friendly--and I don't know that the non-comic-reading parent knows that. It wouldn't be all that surprising if a parent in a hurry made a purchase based entirely on the cover.

My point? It's the parent's job to be aware of what their kids are reading. It's not the comic company's responsibility. However, it may be in the comic company's interest to ensure that six-year-olds with less cautious parents don't get nasty surprises.

No thanks

The story doesn't look as bad as I'd have expected, but still, Marvel Apes? I just don't get the appeal.

Patience.

There's a preview up of the new Secret Six title.

Which I won't be getting until next month, due to the whole getting-comics-once-a-month thing.

Ah, well.

More links worth reading

School starts next week and we are busy, so I suspect you'll see a few more linky posts from me in the near future...


If you haven't seen A Serious Note at Bully's blog, have a look. I shouldn't be so amazed when things like that happen, but somehow I always am.

The Man Who Laughs at the Invincible Super-Blog is an excellent, excellent analysis of the Joker which I enjoyed very much.

Feeling old

Apparently in the near future, folks will be able to download digital comics to their iPhones and iPod Touches.

It's not a service I'd make use of, even if I had a piece of iTechnology, which I don't. I don't have the eyes for it. (I'm one of those folks who, when I'm looking at the computer first thing in the morning, likes to hit that handy Ctrl+ a couple of times.) I'm not that old, I just have poor eyesight.

My daughters, however--that might be something they'd be interested in. The thirteen-year-old puts pictures and little movies on her MP3 player. (It's not an iAnything, she's too cagey about her money for that, but it's decent.) They each have an old GameBoy, something I've also never been able to use because the screen is so damn small. If they had cell phones they'd be texting. They'd be fine with reading comics on a tiny little screen, I'm guessing.

But the older I get, the more I find myself thinking about technology being more accessible. My eyes aren't going to be getting any better, after all. Neither are anybody else's, generally speaking. Some of it, of course, is just a matter of being used to dealing with small text on small screens, but there comes a point when, for some of us (the section of the population who isn't getting any younger--which inclues most comic fans :)) it's simply not going to be possible to make use of that sort of a product.

That Favorite Blog Post Meme

Ooooh, I've been tagged for a meme! I'm so excited! :)

But geez, my favorite blog post of all time...how am I supposed to narrow it down to one? And it's not just the fact that my memory isn't what it used to be, and it's not just that there are so many good ones, it's that it's so hard to define what might make a post a "favorite."

Some posts, I like because they contain intelligent, incisive commentary. They make me think. Example: Anxiety, the Secret Identity, and the Ten Basic Superhero Plots at A Trout in the Milk.

Some posts, I like because they get me to look at things differently, seeing social and cultural issues within comics. Example:Pardon my Language at Pretty, Fizzy Paradise.

Some posts, I like because they inform me about things I didn't know, bits of comic history and so forth. Example: Stan's vs. Jack's Sue Storm at Digital Eraser.

Some posts, I like because they push my nostalgia button--they remind me about something once dear to me that I hadn't thought about in years. Example: this bit of Teen Titans history at Comics Ate My Brain.

Some posts, I like because they're shamelessly opinionated, which is a beautiful thing. Example: On Harsh Criticism at Written World.

And some posts I like because they're just damn entertaining. Example: The War on Beards at Ye Olde Comick Booke Blogge.

But if I must choose just one, and apparently I must :). I'm going to go with this one: Sidekicks Roasting on an Open Fire at Comic Coverage. Humor and history all in one.

DC Direct Hush Hush/Jason Todd Action Figures

These two are actually a bit less posable than the other figures we have from this series. The knees and elbows bend, as do the hips and shoulders. No waist movement. No head or neck movement. Hush is looking up, which makes him a bit hard to pose with others; Jason looks straight ahead.

The detailing on these figures, however, is excellent. They look great. They have guns permanently attached to both hands, which reduces playability somewhat but isn't a big deal.

The kids are currently working on a villain HQ. Just need to find somewhere to put it.

DC Direct Hush Joker Action Figure

The girls have been asking for a Joker, particularly since we got a Harley, and this is the one we went with.

He's got the usual posability for this series--bends at the knees and elbows, hips and shoulders, no waist action, head turns and nods. He also has, oddly, a movable jaw so that you can open and shut his mouth, which I don't really see the advantage of. The lower jaw, by the way, will fall out if you're not careful. We've been careful ever since learning that.

He looks great--the classic Joker in a purple suit with green and orange accents. And spats. I love the spats. He's holding (it's permanently attached to his hand) a great big gun with a "bang" flag hanging out--the kids think this is awesome.

By the way, since his arrival Harley has still been spending most of her time with best friend Poison Ivy, not with the Joker, who has been hanging out at the bar with Moon Knight.

DC Direct Hush Batman Action Figure

On the whole I like the Hush series. They're good-looking figures. However, they're pretty immobile. I know this, so I'm not really complaining, just describing.

The Hush Batman is well-muscled, something the thirteen-year-old commented on--she thinks Batman ought to be a little slimmer, I suppose because of the martial-artist thing. He bends at the elbows, knees, hips and shoulders; the shoulders don't extend out. The waist does not turn. The head turns and can be cocked at various angles. He can sit somewhat, and he stands easily.

He's a decent-looking figure, definitely has a presence; he has the grey and blue costume, and the kids approve of the cape.

He was intended as a replacement for the DC Universe Batman, who's reasonably mobile but permanently hunched over--he really can't do anything but crouch on rooftops, lurking, and the kids never seemed to play with him at all. We'll have to see whether this guy gets any more action.

Legion linkage

There are a couple of links up at Newsarama about the Legion of Superheroes. I am not a current reader of the title, but I was a long-term fan and these gave me a shot of nostalgia.


The Legion at 50: Jim Shooter

The Legion at 50: What Makes the Legion Cool?

The Legion at 50: Paul Levitz

What I Want: The November 08 Marvel Solicitations

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #576
Hammerhead’s having a Brand New Day of his own and it’s Spidey’s turn to pay. This one hurts...a lot.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #577
You’ll never guess this issue’s special guess--oh wait, he’s up on the cover. That’s right, it’s a good old fashioned Spider-Man/Punisher punch-up-a-palooza! What’s Punisher want with a mysterious, power-enhancing serum? What does MOSES MAGNUM have to do with it? And why is Peter Parker DRIVING A CAB?! Spidey-Stalwart Zeb Wells and groundbreaking artist Paolo Rivera (MYTHOS series) bring Spidey the answers in this double-size spectacular! IN COLOR!
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #578Random earthquakes don’t happen in New York – trust us, we live here. So how did one trap Spidey and a subway car full of New Yorkers underground? But there’s more to these passengers than meets the eye as a high powered mob trial’s verdict is in their hands. And one of them has a crucial connection to Pete’s old boss, J. Jonah Jameson!

For the thirteen-year-old.


AVENGERS/INVADERS #6 (of 12)
The titanic team-up of the year continues! With the time-tossed Cap and Namor held by Tony Stark and his Mighty Avengers, Toro and Bucky are off-the-grid under the protective wing of the New Avengers... while the Torch finds himself in the presence of the most powerful threat to the Marvel Universe, whose identity is revealed in this issue!

This sounds potentially good.


AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE SPECIAL
One of the longest-running plotlines in Avengers: The Initiative is resolved at last! Hardball is among the Initiative's most respected and decorated graduates. He's become a celebrity hero in Las Vegas, with his true love, Komodo, serving nearby in Arizona. But all the while, he's secretly been in the pocket of the terrorist group Hydra! Now everything comes to a head as Komodo finds out the truth...Senator Woodman's evil plan comes to fruition...and Hardball must choose a side, once and for all! Also in this not-to-be-missed issue, Dan Slott returns to solo writing duties for the previously-untold origin of Trauma...and the shocking revelation of his link to a longtime Marvel character!

Another of the husband's favorites.


CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI13 #7
Brian Braddock has to make his hardest decision ever, in the room that grants your heart's desire. The power behind the Mindless Ones is revealed. Blade and Spitfire: at each other's throats? And our heroes have to fight their way out of: Hell Comes to Birmingham, part two.

I hope this continues to be good.


CAPTAIN AMERICA #44
Part two of this smashing three-parter pits Bucky Barnes, the new Captain America, against his own past as the Winter Soldier, and one of Steve Rogers deadliest foes... as the remnants of the Cold War creep into the states, searching for a secret weapon that only Cap can stop them from getting their hands on. But is that really what's happening, or is it all a trap? Find out here - by Brubaker and Luke Ross!

You know, I love this book, but I cannot get used to calling Bucky "Captain America." I need a modifier for it to sound right.


MARVEL ADVENTURES THE AVENGERS #30
THERE'S A TIGRA ON THE LOOSE!: The Griffin is on a rampage, and it's up to the Avengers to stop him! But why is Tigra secretly observing the fight from afar, and why has she been spying on the Avengers for days? And who, in turn, has been spying on HER? Plus, a new Avenger joins the ranks!

Hey, cool, Tigra! And since it's a Marvel Adventures title, chances are she's not doing what she's been doing the last few times we've seen her.


MOON KNIGHT #24
“THE DEATH OF MARC SPECTOR,” PART 4
With the Thunderbolts hot on Moon Knight’s trail, Norman Osborn pulls out his WMD. Bullseye is on the clock, he’s got a lock on his target, and he’s crazy as a rabid dog. But then again, so is Moon Knight...

This one just keeps on going.


MS. MARVEL #33
The untold tale of Carol Danver's days as a secret agent continues! What is Ascension? What is the CIA doing in Afghanistan? And what does all of this have to do the post-Secret Invasion world?

I am not really all that interest in Carol's secret agent past but on the whole I like this book.


SECRET INVASION #8 (of 8)
THIS IS IT!! The truly shocking conclusion to THE comic event hit of the year. And you are not prepared for what will happen in these pages. Heroes will rise, heroes will fall...and the Marvel Universe will, and we're not joking, NEVER be the same again!

Hey, half over! (Actually I've been liking Secret Invasion pretty well. But damn, events tend to drag on don't they?)


NEW AVENGERS #47
Of the thousands and thousands of heroes and humans affected by the Skrull invasion, one man's horror and heartbreak rises above the rest. This is the story of Luke Cage!


You know, this doesn't bode well for Jess or the baby.


AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #19
"V-S DAY"
It's been leading to this since the Hank Pym Skrull first came up with the idea for a Fifty State Initiative. This is the final assault in the Secret Invasion, a nation-wide plan that will test the limits of 3-D MAN'S superhuman militia, THE KILL KREW ARMY! Join 3-D MAN, CLOUD 9, KOMODO, HARDBALL, and heroes around America in the battle that will decide the fate of the planet and the future of the Initiative program. Win or lose, there's no turning back. After today, everything changes.

On the whole this has been a reliably good book


MIGHTY AVENGERS #20
Shipping the week after Secret Invasion #8...the end of an era for the Mighty Avengers! Death and defeat at the hands of the Skrulls is just too much for even the Mighty Avengers. Watch the darkest day for the Avengers unfold before you and a shocking ending NO ONE will see coming. Guest-starring THOR!.

Yeah, okay.


PATSY WALKER: HELLCAT #4 (of 5)
Hellcat is still on the case, tracking the missing heir of an Eskimo witch coven. But hot on the trail of Pete the Yeti, whose rocket powered spruce is making her life difficult. But with the aid of a giant magical wolf named Manslayer and a giant talking Mayan calendar made of stone, she just might survive her trek through the last frontier. If she doesn’t drown in a wave of snow bunnies first.

The thirteen-year-old really enjoyed the first issue of this one (which we got last month).


RUNAWAYS #4
The Runaways are breaking up! Something is splitting the team in two and it’s not just the attack by the aliens who are hunting Karolina. Can the kids get back together in time to save their teammate? Chances aren’t looking good!

Another one for the thirteen-year-old.


SHE-HULK #35
It’s Marvel’s fighting females vs. Russia’s #1 super team! Charging into a land in desperate need of their help, the Lady Liberators collide with the Winter Guard! That’s right, She-Hulk is fighting a bear on the cover – but that’s no average bear, Boo Boo...it’s Ursa Major! And he’ll get no picnic basket from special guest-stars Valkyrie, Thundra and the Invisible Woman!

This does sound like a fun storyline.


DEADPOOL #4
“SAY ‘HI’ TO THE BAD GUY,” PART 1 (OF 2)
His mission in “Secret Invasion” completed, Deadpool goes back to business as usual, completely unaware that he’s been sold up the river by a villain of incalculable guile -- a villain who won’t soon forget -- or forgive -- Wade’s sins. As the Skrull War winds to its climactic conclusion, the Merc with a Mouth has no idea that the worst for him is yet ahead.

I expect to like this, hope to be right.


YOUNG X-MEN #8
Discover the secret origin of Ink. The bad-boy of the Young X-Men has been shrouded in mystery, but that ends here, and the truth will shake the team of young mutants.

This hasn't been half bad.

What I Want: The November 08 DC Solicitations

FINAL CRISIS #6
As the entire world turns against them, the last of Earth's Super Heroes must face the unstoppable power of the Gods of Apokolips for the final time. Supergirl vs. Mary Marvel! Superman vs. Darkseid! The fate of the Flash! And the incredible return of the New Gods! The End of Days has come and the ultimate war between good and evil will at last be decided on the battlefield of a broken world! And as the skies bleed, as the walls between universes crumble and fall, the ultimate threat to life makes its presence felt as an evil beyond imagining arrives to claim its prize. Mandrakk the Dark Monitor is coming and the DC Multiverse will never be the same again!

It certainly sounds big, doesn't it?


SECRET SIX #3
Introducing the team’s newest member! The hunt is on as some of the world’s most dangerous killers are getting paid ridiculous chunks of cash to bring down the Secret Six. But the Six have some tricks – and a whole lot of bullets – up their own sleeves...

This one is a given. I don't even care about the solicit, that's how confident I am that I'll like this.


TITANS #7
Match, the imperfect clone of Conner Kent, shows up at the Tower looking for a fight. But the Titans' old teammate Jericho is still trapped inside him! To subdue Match and save Jericho, the Titans must find a way to force the two apart, and their solution has unexpected consequences for them all!

Now I'm wondering whether I should switch to the trade for this title--only because it seems to be pretty closely connected to Teen Titans which we do get in trade form because that's the thirteen-year-old's preference.


BATMAN #682
Two issues of BATMAN in one month! Now that “Batman R.I.P.” has concluded, the aftermath begins! If you thought mastermind writer Grant Morrison surprised you with “R.I.P.”, just wait until you see what he has planned for this retrospective story. In his last hours, Alfred the Butler tells the life story of the Batman as you've never seen it before in this two-part adventure which bridges the gap between the events of “Batman R.I.P.” and FINAL CRISIS. Learn the secrets of Batman's early years! Witness the nightmare of a Gotham City where Batman never existed!
BATMAN #683
This special two-part tale narrated by Sir Alfred Pennnyworth reflects upon the life and times of Gotham City’s most celebrated citizen – and hints at what’s next for The Dark Knight. Grant Morrison delivers a story of past memories, present heartache and future promises. A spectacular, unforgettable farewell to The Dark Knight, mixing memory, dream and speculation as Alfred closes the casebook on the greatest crimefighter of all time. With guest appearances by Batman friends and foes from every era of Batman's history, this epic adventure cannot be missed.

This actually looks pretty interesting. But I still plan to stop with the Batman once RIP is truly over and done.


DETECTIVE COMICS #850
A “Batman R.I.P.” tie-in! “Heart of Hush” concludes in this anniversary double-sized issue! Catwoman’s life hangs in the balance during this final battle between Batman and Hush! And the life of Bruce Wayne will never be the same as the confrontation with his childhood friend Tommy Elliot reveals a terrible and shocking secret!

Ditto.


BATGIRL #5
Batgirl has learned the identity of David Cain's target, but her Bat-family collides with her biological family as she races to prevent the murder of someone very close to her heart. Will the teen heroine thwart the evil man who raised her and ultimately find the redemption she so badly wants?

The thirteen-year-old seems to like it.


ROBIN #180
Written by Fabian Nicieza
Art and cover by Freddie E. Williams II
As the Gotham youth gangs run rampant and the "blue-flu" sweeps the indignant Gotham police force, Robin faces off against a surprising yet familiar foe. And what role does Spoiler play in this opponent’s grand scheme?

The cover shoes someone in the Red Robin costume. ::crosses fingers::


BIRDS OF PREY #124
The Joker and Barbara Gordon face off in the ultimate confrontation. After she was crippled by the Clown Prince of Crime, Barbara became Oracle – but what will become of The Joker now that she has the upper hand?

The cover looks very good.


GREEN LANTERN CORPS #30
The War of Light continues! In part 2 of “The Sins of the Star Sapphire,” the Guardians journey on a diplomatic mission to convince the Zamorans to halt their tampering with the violet light. What will the Guardians do when they discover the Zamorans are attempting to “cure” Sinestro Corps members by infusing them with love?

This sounds so Silver Age, I can hardly wait!


JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #21
The penultimate chapter of the epic "One World, Under Gog" explodes here as the Justice Society of America goes to war with one another. Torn between Gog's desire to help the world and the moral cost it comes with, it's old guard vs. the new as the line that was drawn is crossed. But Gog does not like war...

This is one of the husband's favorites. He's not a long-term comic fan, and definitely not a long-term DC fan. How they manage to make something this tied up in history this accessible, I have no idea.


WONDER WOMAN #26
“Rise of the Olympian” begins! Penciller Aaron Lopresti returns to the series just in time for Wonder Woman's world to change radically! For months, speculation over a new, male Wonder Woman and his fellow Manazons has run rampant, and now the gossip can end! What horrific new threat is Special Agent Diana Prince unknowingly leading her team of agents up against? And, at long last, the fate of the Amazons is finally revealed.

Generally the solicits don't sound that compelling for this title but it's always pretty good.


HARLEY QUINN: PRELUDES AND KNOCK-KNOCK JOKES TP
The Joker’s lovable partner in crime takes the spotlight in this new paperback edition collecting HARLEY QUINN #1-7. Don’t miss these beautifully illustrated tales of lunacy!

We like Harley around here.


SCOOBY-DOO #138
Written by Robbie Busch and John Rozum
Art by Scott Neely and Scott Gross
Cover by Scott Neely
The White House has an unexpected guest! The Scooby Gang will have to find the secret behind the Wicked Witch of the West Wing before the government gets scared silly!

For the nine-year-old, of course.

Do not want.

Okay, I grew up in the late sixties and early seventies. I read Marvel Comics. I read the letters pages, I read the news columns. I read Stan's Soapbox. I have a great deal of nostalgic fondness for these things.

But would I buy an entire book full of nothing but Stan's Soapbox? No, I would not. And this is "I was a teenage Marvel Zombie" girl saying this.

(Okay, it's for a good cause and all that so maybe I might pick it up at some point. But read it all? I suspect I would not.)

Why I buy

Interesting piece here at BeaucoupKevin with an excerpt from a comic store newsletter featuring a negative review of a particular comic; the gist is that a comic store shouldn't recommend against buying particular comics--that it's bad business.

It's an interesting perspective. On the one hand, we all like to see an honest opinion. We don't like someone telling us something is great when they don't really think so. There's enough of that out there already. On the other hand...well, it's true. If you're a business, you're trying to sell a product. If you dislike said product enough to warn your customers away from it, possibly you shouldn't be carrying it at all.

The general opinion in the comments section there seems to be that since the newsletter is put out by a retailer, a certain amount of bias can be assumed (which I suppose is the reason for the negative review--to show that the store is willing to call it as they see it even if it may hurt them in the cash register). That it would be better to praise the good and simply omit mention of the bad. Sort of an "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all" approach.

Does that mean, though, that if you want to run a comic store, you sort of lose your right to have opinions? Say what you like, don't say what you don't like, hope that people read between the lines? Make sure that you only share your real thoughts on comics if you know there are no potential customers around?

I do see that the context of the review was questionable--it was in (I'm assuming) an official store publication, so the writer was acting as a representative of the store. Although I suppose it depends on what the store feels the primary purpose of the newsletter is--to provide information or to bring people into the store to buy things. Ideally it's both. Too much hard-sell and people will stay away in droves; too little and the thing won't generate enough extra profit to make it worth the time you spent putting it together.

Personally I like to read reviews, positive or negative, and I've tried some things because of good reviews. However, I've never dropped something I was already getting based on a bad review. Have I failed to pick up something new based on a bad review? It's possible. I really don't know

Thinking about buying comics

Interesting article here about why modern comic shops no longer tend to keep tables upon tables of back issue boxes.

It's saddening, in a way, because I have fond memories of the back issue days--the sense of weird accomplishment when you at last get to read that one issue you've been missing from a favorite storyline, the fun of bringing home a new stack of comics to file with your existing collection, the excitement when you finally find that specific issue you've been looking for for a few years. (Lacking a local comic shop, I actually did most of my comic collecting by mail, but I did get to a "real" store whenever we traveled.)

But that's pure nostalgia, and it isn't really something I miss all that much. For one thing, I'm older now and I have less spare time to spend hunting down that elusive issue of Avengers. Or, for that matter, to spend organizing my comics neatly into their boxes as new books come in. It was just a different time, a different way to feed the habit, and arguably no better or worse than what the market will be like once people figure it out this time.

What I'm thinking, as a consumer, is that it would be virtually impossible for a local comic store (if we had one, something that seems less and less likely all the time) to do more than simply supply me with the brand-new monthly comics I read. I can't really expect to walk into any store and find anything I'm looking for specifically, because there's too much material available. Someone who's going in to browse, who just wants something that looks interesting to read, they're probably going to find something.

I don't know that that's a lot of the comic market, though. I know that I generally have a pretty good idea of what particular thing I want--and that trip to Denver earlier this year, where I came home with a suitcase full of toys instead of books because even a big store didn't have the books I was looking for, just confirmed that for the most part a trip to a comic store is fun, and I might pick up something that looks neat, but it's not a replacement for ordering online what I really want.

See, I prefer to buy trades of back issues when I can get them.

But it's obvious that it was a lot easier, really, when actual floppy back issues were the order of the day, to be confident of being able to find something you wanted when you went to a comic shop. (For those of you who weren't around back then, this meant keeping a little notebook in your purse with a list of all the comic issues you were looking for, which you'd check off as you found them.) You probably wouldn't find everything on your list but you'd find some of it.

All I know is that I wouldn't want to be running a comic shop these days. I'm just not that smart.

It's a little early for "can't wait for the new comics!" isn't it?

There's a preview up for the next Captain America. It looks fantastic.

Seriously, why isn't everybody reading this book?

Well, this explains a lot

I was reading this article on a panel about the 50th anniversary of the Legion of Superheroes (an old favorite I no longer read), and came across this quote:

Levitz said "the nature of the Legion is so complex, that when the book is slipping, the easy answer is to start with a blank page, rather than work with the existing stories."

And that's why it's no longer on my list, pretty much.

Maybe, maybe not

The husband, who ordinarily just reads whatever happens to arrive at the house, put in a request for Uncanny X-Men, solely on the basis of who was writing it. (Brubaker.) He likes Captain America and reasoned that he might like something else by the same author as well. Not my personal approach to choosing comics, but whatever.

However, Brubaker is leaving the book, which I'm guessing means we're not going to start getting it. (I'll have to ask.)

The only X-Men title we get currently is Young X-Men, which is pretty good, but I still don't have much interest in being drawn back into the X-World. (Guess I can carry a grudge all the way from the 90s!)

Not exactly cool, is it?

The husband is reading the latest Secret Invasion right now, and started laughing uncontrollably.

Of course I had to ask why.

Why? Nick Fury's gun. "It's just so big!"

And yep, it was.

I wonder whether the humor there was intentional, because I don't think anyone could look at that gun and not giggle.

The fight I've been waiting for.

This month's ocmics have arrived (yeah, took a while this month), which means that I've seen Avengers/Invaders 3, which means that I've now seen the eagerly-awaited Namor vs. Namor battle. Which was a little surprising but I'm sure there's something going on there, because damn, Namor just couldn't have beaten Namor that easily!

Links worth reading

Good discussion of superhero comics as a genre. (at Comic Book Resources)

Golden Age comic standards. (at Newsarama)

More titles to add to the pull list (potential spoilers maybe?)

I've been trying to catch up on reading other people's blogs (it's one of those "one step forward, two steps back" things), and had gotten as far as Lying in the Gutters when I came across this:

I understand that following the events of "Batman RIP," both main Batbooks will be put on hiatus for a short period, replaced by a new title, "Battle Of The Cowl" by Grant Morrison.

We’ll see a struggle for the legacy of the Batman after the events of the "Batman R.I.P" storyline, between the likes of Robin, Jason Todd, Nightwing, Damien and who knows, maybe Azreal and Bat-Mite while they're at it.

So "Nightwing" will be renamed "Red Robin" while "Robin" becomes… "Batman And Robin."

I'd read that. I'd so read that. Whatever it means.

Should I try to like this?

You know who I don't get? The hero whose appeal has always escaped me?

Hawkman.

The kids, particularly the thirteen-year-old, love the heck out of Hawkgirl, likely because of the old Justice League cartoons (the same reason they don't care about any Green Lanterns but John Stewart). But they don't find Hawkman particularly appealing either.

But I know a lot of folks are crazy about him.

What's the story?

We want it.

The kids are enthused about the prospect of that upcoming Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2: Fusion game. They aren't all that excited about the fusion aspect, although I think that'll change when they actually play the game.

The nine-year-old has said that she hopes that Deadpool is in this one.

All her Ultimate Alliance teams include Deadpool. In fact, Marvel Ultimate Alliance is the source of the family love of Deadpool. The reason we buy his comic book. How's that for a reversal of the usual pattern?

This stuff doesn't usually bug me, but...

So I decide to head on over to the Mattel site to see what they have to say about their DC Universe line. (Which is nothing. They don't list them or have a link up. But that's not what's irritating me here. Although I will point out that Hasbro does a great job of selling their Marvel Legends line on their website...)

So I click on their link to "All Toys" and I see this. Their default sort is "By audience." (You can also sort "By alphabet" but have to click again to do it.)

And "By audience" means that they sort their toys into four groups--Infants, Girls, Boys, and Grownups and Parents.

Now, Mattel does list a couple of different comic-related toys groups. Specifically, Batman and Justice League.

Want to guess how they're categorized? What "audience" Mattel thinks they've got?

Hint: it doesn't reflect the way things are in my house.

DC Direct Hush Poison Ivy Action Figure

The girls wanted Harley and Ivy, and this was the Ivy they liked. It was her or the Alex Ross version--which probably would have been my choice, but which was vetoed on the basis of "she's got a cabbage on her head!" And who could argue with that?

It's a pretty figure. The face is just right, although the body is, as the kids said, "kind of skinny." The costume, particularly the vines winding around her limbs, is nicely done apart from the thong aspect. I've always king of pictured Ivy as having a bit of a 1940s screen siren air to her--sort of a green Lauren Bacall--and the figure does have something of that sultry, glamorous thing going.

It's not a particularly playable figure. The hair gets in the way not only of head movement but of the right arm's movement as well. The arms don't extend out very far. The head turns but doesn't tilt. And the hips and knees don't move particularly well. Obviously she can't sit down. But...as I've said before of DC Direct, that's kind of as expected.

And to be honest, she's here mainly to hang out with Harley and be her friend. She's actually reasonably close in scale to the DC Universe Harley Quinn, and the kids are not unhappy with her.

Formatting

I've never really been interested in attending one of the big comic conventions, mainly because it seems like it'd be a lot of work to find the actual comic content there. However, I do read with interest the discussion of these events on the comic book websites. Today I opened up my browser and came across this article at Newsarama about an SDCC panel on the future of monthly comic books.

It's an interesting subject to me because I do seem to find myself gradually moving toward "waiting for the trade" in a number of cases. Occasionally with regard to newer titles, and certainly when I've discovered a "new" old book I'm thrilled when I can collect it in trade form instead of having to dig for back issues.

But I would be saddened if the monthly comic book were to disappear. The nostalgia thing, of course--that I grew up on monthly comics--is a consideration. But it's a long time between trades, and I'm not that patient when there's an exciting storyline going on. On the other hand, a really good story--one you'll read more than once--is better to have in trade form. So what are you going to do?

(In one case I buy both the floppies and the eventual trades, but as fond as I am of comics I'm not going to start doing that for every title! :))

DC Universe Harley Quinn Action Figure

The girls love Harley, so here we have one.

This is the first figure we've tried from the Mattel DC Universe line. It's a build-a-figure series (seemed to work well for the Marvel Legends, I guess), so we are now the proud owners of a Grodd head and torso with wires coming out of it; since we're not planning to get anything else from this set, I guess the mad-scientist action figures will get to play with it.

Harley is an actual toy, which isn't really the case with a lot of the DC Direct stuff (much as I love it), so it's not surprising that she's far more playable than most of our other DC figures. Her arms are kind of spindly (not toned or muscular, and Harley is fairly athletic so they really should be), which is a concern because it could be a weak point in the figure--I'll point it out to the kids so they'll be careful. Otherwise the proportions are decent.

She's fairly well articulated, bending at the waist, elbows, knees, hips and shoulders. The arms extend out, and the hips do as well, somewhat. The waist turns and there's free head movement. You can also turn her legs mid-thigh, which gives more posing variation than you'd think. She can sit, which is often an issue, so that's a plus.

And she's not a bad looking figure. She is a bit shorter than a lot of the DC Direct figures, which I'm assuming means that the scale for this line is 6-inch. Her face has a blue tint to it, which is a little confusing. And the costume looks good--a reasonable compromise between playability and appearance, I think.

Okay, this is more of the action figure obsession. Eventually I'll have heard about them all and will go on to other topics. :)

Someone at the Captain America board put up some pictures of the upcoming Captain America action figure. Only there appear to be two versions--one with the mask, one without (so that it's apparent that it's not Steve, presumably).

Now, I didn't think that Marvel Select put out variants. I didn't see anything but the regular masked version when I placed my pre-order. (I actually don't often pre-order these things, but I wanted it asap. :)) I'm not sure, actually, which one I'd rather have. Moot point I'm sure since I've ordered already. It looks like a decent figure--apparently it can stand up, which is always a plus.

Stocking the helicarrier

Holy crap, they're making a Dum Dum Dugan action figure!

(According to the Cool Toy Review site (and pictures don't lie so I'm assuming this is correct.))

That is awesome.

He's a little young-looking, but you can't have everything.

(You know, I had no idea these toy sites existed until now. You really can find everything on the internet, can't you?)

Never thought I'd see the day

So I was looking at the Marvelous News site today to see what upcoming action figures made their debut at the latest comic convention, and I came across this.

Now, that's got to be a Sharon Carter action figure up in front there, right?

Because if so, I want one!